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Gods in Bandagora
In Bandagora 35 deities of a certain magnitude are known, among them 4 are reckoned great gods. The priesthood of three of the four great gods - Enki, Inanna and Vahaun have joined in the Trinity Church. The fourth great god is Hermes. The great gods have temples - sometimes several - in all cities. A few temples dedicated to the Trinity have been built, these are known as churches and are as of yet quite few in number. The other gods usually have temples solely dedicated to them in some cities, but in other cities the worshipers must go to temples dedicated to all or a group of gods. Town temples or road shrines are usually dedicated to all the gods. The other recognized gods of Bandagora are Agni, Anshar, Apollo, Ares, Diancecht, Dionysos, Freya, Hecate, Hefaistos, Heimdal, Hel, Horus, Idun, Kali, Lilith, Loke, Modi, Morpheus, Nergal, Nike, Ogma, Ormazda, Pan (Kirion), Plutus, Prometheus, Selene, Sif, Thor, Thoth, Tyche, and Uller. Most people have an opinion of what a god is, but the exact meaning of the term is not clear. As it happens, different cultures view the gods differently. Here follows a short description of the 'idea of divinity' each of the three civilized cultures (the three P's - cf. Bandagora). Gods in 'Penboynian' culture In the elite, the higher priesthood dominated by Kartrian thought, the gods are seen as representatives of abstract principles rather than free-willed individuals. Vahaun is a principle, and the foremost representative of that principle is the god Vahaun, but a priest or a paladin may become part of that principle too, if he acts in accordance with that principle. Why does a stone fall to the ground? we ask, and we answer that it is because Enki wills it so, but Enki wills it because the stone belongs on the ground along with all the other stones. This view of the gods is way beyond the ordinary citizen and the indirect cause of the sects such as Tasselind and the Open Hand. To the common people gods are seen as a kind of generals or chess players using their divine powers and their followers to obtain their goals. The Trinity Church is a construct that makes perfect sense to the priesthood (at least in principle), but to the common man it is, if not a charade, then a flimsy alliance at best. In Falandria, where intellectualism has little power, it is common for bards to 'dream' of the gods' excesses and then tell stories of the gods as if they were a big family rippled by love, intrigue, adultery and strife. One final note, among the learned it is considered gauche to talk of Pan, when Kirion is the subject, whereas the common people hardly know the name Kirion. Gods in 'Pandese' culture In this culture symbols are very important. Pictures, colors, gestures and the like are all seen as signs beckoning the gods. These symbols have thousands of minute variations each having its own significance. A Pandese priest spends much of his time as master of ceremony or advising architects, tailors and other craftsmen to obtain the correct combination of symbols. The ordinary Pandese citizen views the gods as a kind of super-parents who watches over them. Given the emotional nature of the Pandese, it is not unheard of to overhear people shouting their gratitude or anger to the sky (or the nearest symbol of the particular god). It is not uncommon to see men and women kiss statues in public. The Pandese are the only people not to punish cursing the gods, if it is done in a state of emotional distress. In the League of Cityports the exact meaning of symbols is similarly important, but perhaps because of the influence from the Plutus priesthood, there is a greater tendency to think in favors and return favors. Many sages see a trend towards what they call 'wizardification', meaning that the priest does not call upon the deity, but rather obtains his spell effects by precisely manipulating symbols. Nordacria lies in the middle between the two extremes. Gods in 'Pellan' culture. The Pellan word for god translates more or less to passion. The Pellans see man an as a vessel with no real will of its own, but constantly being possessed by (usually) several gods. During the New Sun Lands reign of terror the body was considered only worth as much as it could produce. As a consequence, men were disposable. The object was to open the body for Inanna, and when She was dominant in a body, this state was to be maintained by prayers and rituals. This extreme view of men has never been popular among the commoners, but they basically think the same, albeit in a somewhat more moderate manner. Mood swings, adultery, lying, drinking binges and other socially destructive behavior is sanctioned no less harsher by law, but outside the legal system it is seen as if the offender couldn't help himself. For example, in Grone a convicted rapist is branded in the face to warn off women in the future, but he will not be stigmatized to the point that he will lose all his former friends. Gods among the High Races. Dwarves, elves, and hobbits reckognize all the gods, but cannot be said to worship them in the same fashion as men. Gods are respected, but never sacrificed to. Gods may be prayed to, but nothing is ever expected in return. For more information regarding how the elves see the gods, see the Heart of Darkness. Finally there are the works of Khalenden Philagish. In here, the gods are personified much in the manner of the above-mentioned Falandrian tradition. Khalenden, however, concludes that if the world we see today is the consequence of the gods' decision, then the gods are to be blamed. It is a fanciful notion, and one scholars would dismiss without a thought. Despite this, the strength of his historical knowledge has given him an audience.